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This page illustrates and describes perlite insulation materials. We've added these examples because of frequent questions about the visual identification of various insulating materials, about the properties of various insulating substances, and because of the need to recognize asbestos and non-asbestos-containing materials. This website assists building buyers, owners or inspectors who need to identify non-asbestos-containing insulation materials as well as asbestos-containing materials (or probable-asbestos) in buildings by simple visual inspection. Perlite photographs in this areticle are courtesy of Redco and their website about perlite insulation. See INSULATION INSPECTIONS and IDENTIFICATION of ASBESTOS in BUILDINGS for details about foam and other building insulation types; see FIBERGLASS HAZARDS for a discussion of mold problems in fiberglass insulation. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. Perlite Building Insulation
Perlite is a type of rock (a form of volcanic glass) which is mined, crushed, heated and thus expanded (4 to 20 x original volume) to form an inorganic insulating material. (Also see Vermiculite Insulation.) Water trapped in the rock causes it to expand. Perlite insulating material is produced in granular forms from coarse to a fine powder which weighs about two pounds per cubic foot. Photo courtesy of Redco . Perlite is used for the insulation of low-temperature application equipment such as cryogenic (-100 degC or -150 degF) and super-cold storage tanks and test chambers. Perlite insulation is also used in food processing applications (up to 4 degC or 40 degF - about the minimum food refrigeration temperature). Perlite building insulation is produced in a granular or even a powder form, but by some manufacturers it is formed into an insulating board (by combining perlite with gypsum, for example for use under building roofs). Perlite insulation materials are resistant to mold, rot, and rodents. Perlite also resists moisture uptake, making it useful for use in areas exposed to water or dampness such as in floor leveling compounds and under-floor insulation where it may also be used for noise control (as a sound-deadening material, possibly between building floors). Perlite as an under-floor insulation and as an acoustical insulator is described by the Schundler Company. Perlite insulation density and weightPerlite insulating products are produced in a range of densities (weight per cubic foot) from two pounds per cubic foot to fifteen pounds per foot. Perlite has a typical density of 3-4 pounds per cubic foot in building insulation products, and is described by various industry sources as inexpensive and dimensionally stable (doesn't shrink) and non-combustible. Perlite as a green building materialSome writers name perlite insulation products as a "green building material", probably because it is a natural, mined resource (not considering the energy costs of mining and production), and more, because perlite is used as a concrete additive to make insulating and light-weight concrete, or as an insulating material to fill the cores of masonry block constructed walls. Perlite insulation may also be used to insulate masonry wall cavities (between brick courses in a structural brick wall) or in a building interior to fill the cavity between a masonry exterior wall and the interior finish-wall furring strips and drywall. More information about perlite insulation is available from Redco II, a perlite insulation manufacturer in North Hollywood, an industry source for this insulating material. Redco II sells perlite for horticultural purposes (those white particles you see in some brands of potting soil), for industrial and construction applications such as an additive in the formation of concrete, and for general industrial uses including as a filtering medium. Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. Technical Reviewers & ReferencesParticular thanks are due to experts and also consumers who read these articles and suggest corrections, changes, and additions to the material. Content suggestions, technical corrections and content critique are invited for any of the content at our website.
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DENTIFICATION of ASBESTOS in BUILDINGS Asbestos Risk Assessment Asbestos in Good Condition Asbestos in Poor Condition Asbestos Removal, Amateur, Incomplete Asbestos Foamed-Over Asbestos Air Ducts Asbestos Air Duct Vibration Dampers Asbestos Pipe Insulation Asbestos in unusual places Carbon Nanotube Materials Ceiling Tiles Containing Asbestos Fireproofing containing Asbestos Floor Tiles Containing Asbestos Paper Duct Insulation Containing Asbestos Transite Pipe Chimneys & Flues Transite Pipe Air Ducts Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation UFFI Vermiculite Insulation Containing Asbestos LIST of Asbestos Containing Products Asbestos Under the Microscope INSULATION INSPECTIONS Insulation Material Identification Guide Mold Growth Resistance of Foam Insulation Asbestos-Free Insulation Materials Asbestos Pipe Insulation Balsam Wool Batt Insulation Cotton Insulating Batts Cellulose loose fill insulation Fiberglass Insulation Foam Board Insulation Foam Spray Icynene Insulation Insects & Foam Insulation Mineral Wool/Rock Wool Insulation Mold in Fiberglass Insulation Mold in Foam Insulation Paper Duct Insulation Perlite Insulation Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation UFFI Vermiculite Insulation HEAT LOSS CALCULATIONS Insulation R-Values & Properties LIST of Asbestos Containing Products Mold Growth Resistance of Foam Insulation How to Calculate Heat Loss in a Building Table of Properties of Insulating Materials IDENTIFICATION of ASBESTOS in BUILDINGS Asbestos Risk Assessment More Information InspectAPedia ® Home & Site Map Air Conditioning InspectAPedia Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Mold Inspect/Test Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Bias Pledge Contact Us |
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